Just the Beginning…

LostMessiah, April 10, 2016:

While Rechnitz and Reichberg are being investigated and there have been no arrests, we are basing our opinions on articles and our own investigations into the activities of these men. It is our opinion that the simple fact that R&R have left their own personal fingerprint, or those of their business endeavors, on every aspect of the web of corruption and scandal in NYC right now says a lot. We also do not believe it ends there. We believe that it carries all the way to the top, and the “abrupt” resignation of New York’s top cop is the icing on the cake. However, whether or not that cake was baked by R&R remains to be seen. We are posting our comments along the way hoping that the connections can be filled in by our readers.

As to Jeremy Reichberg, the New York Daily News is reporting that he used high ranking officials to protect his nephew from assault charges. The report states that his nephew was allegedly a member of a street gang. High ranking officials within the 66th Precinct repeatedly ignored crimes allegedly reported and committed by that nephew. As a prominent member of the ultra-Orthodox community, it would not be unlikely that he also paid NYPD officers to look the other way in a fair number of sex crimes, though that piece remains to be seen.

As to Hamlet Peralta, we do not feel that R&R were duped. Rather, we believe that their investment was intended for the purpose of assisting Peralta in entertaining some of the top cops who fancied his Hudson River Cafe, which hosted many of them. We believe that the three kept the highest ranking officials to the lowest ranking officials wined, dined and properly reimbursed for favors within the ultra-Orthodox community and within their wealthy circles. Further, JSR Capital L.L.C. owns buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn. One of the investors in Peralta’s scheme allegedly was a high ranking member of the zoning board. Hamlet Peralta managed and may have owned buildings in Georgia, from where he was arrested. We are being told by former tenants and employees of his that he covered up instances of black mold and other health violations by painting over them or ignoring them. We are being told by confidential sources that he treated his tenants brutally and that everything for him was about money.

[LostMessiah – Rechnitz is represented by Marc S. Harris, a Los Angeles attorney. Harris is highly credentialed . We do find it odd, however, that Rechnitz’s attorney is from California (where his cousin currently lives). All of the firm’s attorneys are in California, as are all of its offices. We are not certain if his attorney is licensed in the State of New York as the website gives no indication that he has NY credentials. And, of course, there are highly credentialed attorneys in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts. So, why California? See Harris’ credentials: Formerly Assistant U.S. Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California; Deputy Chief, Public Corruption and Government Fraud, United States Attorney’s Office]

Hamlet Peralta:

Accepted Millions in supposed investment for $12M alleged Ponzi scheme, including money which may have been invested by the union representing the Bureau of Corrections

Managed buildings in Georgia (see below)

Buildings owned by USA Management, LLC, including Bella Vista Apartments in Macon Georgia, 3601 Mercer University Drive Macon Ga. 31204, a location which tenants have told us was riddled with problems. Our research indicates that Joseph Gega may own the property and much more. We believe USA management is one of many in an umbrella of companies.

[LostMessiah – real estate industry may have included Nursing Homes,(Rivington Street), and other questionable ventures]

“His [dieBlasio’s] campaign took $9,900 in contributions from Rechnitz, while de Blasio’s nonprofit, the Campaign for One New York, got $50,000 from him. Reichberg hosted a fund-raiser for the nonprofit that took in $35,000. Rechnitz also bundled $40,000 in contributions to the mayor and ponied up $102,300 to Democrats in the state Senate when de Blasio pleaded for support.”

“The businessmen, whose phones were tapped by the feds, allegedly doled out other gifts, like Super Bowl tickets and vacations to China, London and Israel.”

“On Friday, the feds indicted Manhattan cafe owner and Banks associate Hamlet Peralta on wire fraud for allegedly suckering at least a dozen investors into a $12 million Ponzi scheme [which included an investment in Union Funds]. His now-shuttered Hudson River Cafe was a hangout for such NYPD bosses as Colon and Harrington.”

“Rechnitz and Reichberg were among the investors who thought they were sinking money into Peralta’s wholesale wine business, but Peralta used the millions for clothes, debts, restaurants and spas, the indictment says.”

De Blasio campaign operatives said they will give back the donations from Rechnitz and his wife but keep the more than $40,000 in bundled contributions.

“We are fully confident that the campaign has conducted itself legally and appropriately at all times,” campaign spokesman Dan Levitan said.

Earlier this week, de Blasio said he wouldn’t make any “final judgments” regarding Rechnitz’s donations until the investigation is complete. Asked why de Blasio changed his mind Friday, a City Hall source said, “You’ll have to ask the mayor.”

[…] The next unusual comment was describing Rechnitz as one who “cultivated connections with the Police Department – posing with top officials…” In our view, that comes not from generosity and kindness, but rather from the knowledge that having friends in high places protects people from enemies in high places. In our view, and in that of our private sources, Jona Rechnitz is an opportunist and certainly having friends in the top echelons of law enforcement provides significant opportunity. He was, in fact, known to flaunt those connections. […]

[…] incompetence if true]; and while he has today announced that he barely knew Jona Rechnitz and Jeremy Reichberg [nothing further from the truth], the Daily News is reporting that there were “big […]

“Mayor Bill de Blasio distanced himself Sunday from two businessmen embroiled in a federal corruption probe of the NYPD that has expanded to his campaign fundraising practices, saying that he doesn’t know the men that well and that his campaign is returning donations from both.

“It’s not a particularly close relationship,” the mayor said of his ties to businessmen Jeremy Reichberg and Jona Rechnitz. “I met them first around the time of the general election. I hadn’t know them previously, really haven’t seen them in the last year or more.”

If Rechnitz is tied to the Rivington deal and he needed help in the deBlasio admin to get the deed lifted then passing the money through Peralta makes sense, even if it cost him a few million, if he is getting 72 million on the back side in profits.